Rust-Oleum Spraysmart

Rust-Oleum was developing an innovative new spray painting device for construction and utility ground marking applications that used paint pouches instead of traditional aerosol cans. Design Integrity’s team was brought on to complete the design and to help ensure that the program would be a successful new product development effort.

Challenge

Rust-Oleum spray paints are used extensively for construction and the marking of underground utilities. For these applications, aerosol cans have traditionally been used to spray the paint onto the ground. With aerosol cans, the cans have to be shaken vigorously and a portion of the paint is left unused in the bottom of each can.

Regulations require that each can is punctured and emptied prior to disposal. In addition, Rust-Oleum wanted to lower the costs associated with aerosol cans.

Solution

Rust-Oleum retained Design Integrity to assist with the development of the SpraySmart® system. While Rust-Oleum focused on the development of the paint chemistry and spray nozzle, the team at Design Integrity developed the engineering design of the rest of the device. The new SpraySmart® system dispenses paint from a low-cost pouch, and the device is compatible with existing marking wands.

A pump in the device builds air pressure around the pouch while electronics monitor the pressure to ensure an optimum spray pattern. The design allows for all the paint in the pouch to be used, and pouches are easily disposed of with regular trash, less waste, and less hassle.

Client Benefit

Design Integrity helped Rust-Oleum to navigate the challenges associated with the development of this new electro-mechanical device. The SpraySmart® system was developed and launched in a rapid time-frame, and the joint project team was able to innovate and overcome multiple technical hurdles during the effort.

For end customers, benefits of the final product include low-cost refills, improved performance, higher paint utilization, and lower disposal costs.